


the line between wrath and mercy

by secondthoughts



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, Bad Jokes, Bickering, Crack, Dark Comedy, Enemies to Friends, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Insults, Light Angst, M/M, Messy, Minor Violence, Prompt Fic, Swearing, again this is a mess sorry, chaotic energy, hyungki throwing hands, scorpio energy perhaps, yes this is a chaotic mess im sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-03
Updated: 2021-01-03
Packaged: 2021-03-13 11:47:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,899
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28527954
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/secondthoughts/pseuds/secondthoughts
Summary: 7 minutes in hell where two people go into a closet and beat the shit out of each other.It shouldn’t be a problem since Kihyun and Hyungwon are always at each other’s throats… right?
Relationships: Chae Hyungwon/Yoo Kihyun
Comments: 6
Kudos: 47





	the line between wrath and mercy

**Author's Note:**

> hi im bringing an angsty crack fic (?) to you in the new year :D
> 
> this is based on a [ prompt ](https://twitter.com/legofroggo/status/1345261629831692288) i saw on twitter and then one day later, this fic is born. i just couldn't get it out of my head lmao
> 
> anyway buckle up because this is gonna be an interesting ride
> 
> p.s: fic title taken from lyrics of Simmer by Hayley Williams

“So they woke up and chose violence, literally,” Changkyun sighs warily, watching the medium-sized closet tremble as if caught in an earthquake.

“You’re the one who put them in there,” Jooheon hisses, worry carved into his face as he shakes the younger by the shoulder. “This is a bad idea. I’m sure there’s a better way to sort this out.”

“Nah, let them be,” Minhyuk drawls, picking his nails nonchalantly and crossing his legs on the floor, his whale tattoo peeking out when his shorts ride above his knees. “I’m sick of seeing them argue all the time, maybe this will end their feud once and for all.”

Jooheon pleadingly looks at his other hyungs, but Hoseok and Hyunwoo just shrug.

“It’s just seven minutes, they’ll be fine,” Hyunwoo says and Hoseok grimaces as the thumping sounds from the closet grow louder.

Changkyun nods although he’s starting to feel less sure about himself. “Right, seven minutes in hell is nothing when they’re always at each other’s throats since the beginning of time.”

The five guys sit in a circle on the floor, watching the timer on Minhyuk’s phone count down the minutes. Jooheon silently prays for a miracle.

* * *

Kihyun can’t believe Changkyun actually locked the both of them in and no one stopped him. What’s worse, he’s stuck in a dark stuffy closet with the last person he wants to be stuck in a closet—or literally anywhere—with. He glares despite being unable to make out the other man’s face. “Look what you’ve done,” he growls, “now I have to suffer in this stupid closet with you.”

Hyungwon scoffs and Kihyun can imagine him rolling his eyes. “Of course you’re putting the blame on me again, as always.” There’s a thump, presumably from Hyungwon leaning against the other end of the closet wall. “How is it my fault when you’re always picking on me? You thrive in being mean, don’t you?”

If Kihyun was an element, he would be fire. A blazing furnace. Because that’s what he feels like right now as his blood gurgles and boils, threatening to spill over his veins and wrap around Hyungwon’s neck like burning tendrils (thank goodness this isn’t Sweet Home or lord have mercy on their poor souls). He clenches his fists and hurls one onto the panel. “As if you don’t swoop in at any opportunity to argue with me? You’re insufferable.” The sting spreading into his knuckles doesn’t help his temper at all.

“So are you. You’re just so petty about every single thing I do,” Hyungwon snaps, roughly shoving his foot against Kihyun’s but it ends up hitting his hip because _damn this cramped, mothball-smelling closet. “_ Well since we’re here now, just say it in my face you coward, say you hate me and maybe I can finally punch you and we can finally settle this once and for all.”

Kihyun pushes Hyungwon’s foot away, letting it hit the wall unceremoniously. “How dare you call me a coward,” he hisses, nudging away Hyungwon’s other beanstalk of a leg with his own lacking one. “You really wanna pick a fight with me, huh?” He should have brought his phone with him so he can turn the flashlight on and get a precise aim on Hyungwon’s annoying face.

“Oh, come on, don’t act like you haven’t been wanting to knock me down since day one,” Hyungwon continues to taunt the other man, “you’re just too vertically challenged to do so.” Kihyun doesn’t even need a flashlight to know that Hyungwon has a sly leer on his face, the one he always wears when he spots Kihyun doing something that he doesn’t approve of. He always disapproves all of Kihyun’s actions anyway. And that makes his blood boil fiercer.

But since Kihyun likes to scrutinise everything, he detects the loophole in Hyungwon’s words. His lips curl in sinister delight and he heavily exhales through his nose to quell the rage in his veins. “Oh, but now we’re in a small space and your noodle legs are useless.” Kihyun wriggles forward on his butt, cracking his knuckles. “Seems like _I’m_ the one with an advantage,” he smirks when Hyungwon inhales sharply, realizing his own slip-up.

“No I didn’t s—”

Kihyun pulls his middle finger back before catapulting it forward onto what he hopes is Hyungwon’s forehead. A loud crack resonates through the confined space, followed by a high-pitched yelp.

“Yoo Kihyun what the hell!” Hyungwon shrieks, shoving Kihyun’s hand away before clutching his forehead. “That fucking hurts!”

“As it should,” Kihyun says, puffing his chest triumphantly like he’s won a gold medal at the Olympics. It’s the first time he’s successfully finger-flick Hyungwon’s forehead without making a fool of himself when Hyungwon has always dodged every aim (he’s fast for a human mantis), so Kihyun thinks this achievement fits into said category, it’s just _that_ significant.

Before Kihyun can mentally pat himself on the back, Hyungwon lets out a battle cry. “You bratty hobbit!” He blindly launches himself forward in an attempt to tackle Kihyun, sending clothes and hangers raining down on them as they scuffle in the tiny space. Somewhere outside the closet Jooheon is calling their names in panic, telling them to stop, to talk it out, but his words fall on deaf ears. The next minute consists of frustrated grunts and shouts muffled by the clothes surrounding them, consists of a flurry of futile movement as they scramble to hit each other in the dark.

Hyungwon swats away a hanger and finally manages to pin Kihyun onto the wall of the closet. “I can see why Changkyun put us in here,” he pants heavily, “you’ve been terrorizing me for so long, it’s fair that I do the same, even if it’s just seven minutes.” Hyungwon sighs, his warm breath tickling Kihyun’s cheek. “You’re the absolute worst,” he says but there’s no venom in his words, just resignation and exhaustion.

Kihyun winces at the pressure on his arms and thighs. Hyungwon has somehow landed himself on Kihyun’s lap. “Now what the fuck have I done?” Kihyun asks genuinely, failing to get Hyungwon’s iron grip off him (why does he have to be strong in times like these?). The fury is still there, simmering beneath confusion. “You’re always throwing insults at me without context, don’t you see the problem here? I’m just retaliating.”

“You’re the problem!” Hyungwon shouts, causing the other man to flinch. His hold on Kihyun tightens as the latter continues to struggle. “You suffocate me, you’re always in my peripherals, you’re always scrutinizing and criticizing me. Goodness, every time you’re in my space I feel like my blood vessels will burst.”

“Excuse me I _breathed_ ,” Kihyun scoffs, rolling his eyes because _this is ridiculous, since when did seven minutes in a closet feel like seven hours in hell?_

But has he been that overbearing? None of their friends have said anything that would suggest that, only complaining when he and Hyungwon find the smallest reasons to argue. “We live in the same house, of course we’d always run into each other. It’s inevitable when we’re housemates. The other guys don’t even see a problem with that.” Kihyun doesn’t know why he’s trying to explain himself, trying to justify his behaviour when he knows Hyungwon wouldn’t give a damn about it and would just ultimately claim that it’s Kihyun’s fault that he’s miserable.

But maybe Kihyun is miserable too, maybe he’s tired of the meaningless fights, and he suddenly feels sorry for his other housemates for having to endure their shenanigans when no one comes out the winner.

Much to Kihyun’s surprise, Hyungwon loosens his grip. Then he’s grabbing a fistful of Kihyun’s collar which is already damp from perspiration, no thanks to poor ventilation. “Then why is it a problem for me?” Hyungwon’s voice is suddenly so small yet sounding so frustrated.

Like he’s more frustrated with himself than with Kihyun.

Kihyun tries to steady his breathing as he picks Hyungwon’s fingers away from his shirt—which is harder than detaching a cat’s claws from upholstery—and it must have been some dumb instinct or the lack of lighting that’s meddling with his awareness, because Kihyun doesn’t let go of Hyungwon’s hand, letting it sit on his own instead.

“We weren’t always like this,” Kihyun croaks, voice hoarse from arguing. He can tell that Hyungwon is tired too from the way his breath shudders, the way his thighs go limp on top of Kihyun’s, giving the shorter man an opportunity to escape. He could just push Hyungwon off him and let the man flop to the other side like cardboard, then maybe he could finally breathe better.

But Kihyun doesn’t. He continues talking with his body pressed uncomfortably against the wall, feeling his legs beginning to go numb beneath Hyungwon’s weight. “I’m exhausted,” he finally admits, it’s easier to when he can’t see his enemy’s face, “I’m done having to tiptoe around you. I hate being in the same room with you, knowing that a time bomb will set off no matter what I do.”

“Then why don’t you just move out since you hate me so much?” Hyungwon snaps, but there’s no bite in his words. His voice strangely sounds forced and distant despite their proximity.

“I—” Kihyun freezes and somewhere in his skull, a switch flips, a realization materialises in the form of an electrocution, sending his nerves into a jumbled mess as it sinks into him. “I...don’t. I don’t hate you,” he chokes out. Remnants of anger seeps out of him and evaporates into the darkness. “I…I guess I just hated the idea of you hating me.” Kihyun runs a hand across his forehead to wipe away his sweat, but the shame and confusion linger.

Hyungwon seems to be stunned into silence because he remains quiet and Kihyun mentally curses himself for not bringing his phone with him because he has no idea how Hyungwon’s face looks like right now. Rage? Disgust? Kihyun’s heart only thumps louder in his ribcage. “So, Hyungwon, why do you hate me?”

Like shifting to third gear before releasing the clutch, words speed out of Hyungwon’s mouth as the jarring question pedals his answer forward, hitting Kihyun harder than expected. “You’re too neat, you always clean the house and it puts my messy trash of a room to shame. You’re always the earliest riser in the mornings and it’s annoying that you’re energetically singing in the kitchen preparing breakfast while I struggle to get out of bed. You’re always looking after the other guys and feeding them, especially Jooheon and Changkyun, you pamper them so much yet reprimand me when I make a teeny tiny mistake. As if I’m not trying hard enough to live up to your expectations, as if you’re always superior. I hate that you’re so goody-two-shoes and all I am is someone who’s never enough. I-I don’t hate you…I hate that you treat me differently.”

Kihyun gapes in shock, trying to process what he’s just heard. “Wait, you’ve been comparing yourself to me? But…why?”

“Does it matter now? I’m just a freak who can’t keep up with anything.”

Kihyun’s heart clenches and collapses under the weight of his guilt and shame and sadness hammering into him. All this time he’s got it all wrong and the damage has already been done.

He slightly pushes himself off the wall, hands finding Hyungwon’s shoulders and pulling him to his chest. The skinny man doesn’t try to resist and lets his head drop to Kihyun’s shoulder.

“No, no, no,” Kihyun runs his fingers through Hyungwon’s soft hair, the same way he did to Jooheon when he woke up screaming from a nightmare a week ago. “You’re not different from the rest of us, okay? I’m sorry I made you feel that way.” Kihyun swallows heavily, his pride long thrown out of the metaphorical window because how could he have been so cruel? “I’m sorry I didn’t realise your struggles and assumed you were just being lazy. I’m sorry I’m not a better housemate.”

Hyungwon hiccups and Kihyun feels a dampness blooming on his shoulder. “When we first met you cooked shrimp for me,” Hyungwon mumbles weakly, nuzzling his face into Kihyun’s neck. “I thought you would be my best friend but turns out you’re an asshole. But I’ve been an asshole too.”

Kihyun chuckles bitterly, he can’t even remember what they were arguing about before Changkyun decided to lock them in a closet to ‘ _hash it out, please, for the sake of this household’._ “I think this is all just a huge misunderstanding,” he sighs wearily, his fingers still on Hyungwon’s hair, “it’s my fault, truly.”

“It’s my fault too,” Hyungwon sniffles, rubbing his eyes dry against Kihyun’s shirt. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have put the blame on you when I have bad days.”

“Hey, we are okay now,” Kihyun assures, and he really does believe so, despite being stuck in an eerily dark closet. “Just…let’s be more understanding of each other from now on, okay? I really hate it when we fight all the time. Hyunwoo doesn’t like it too but he doesn’t say anything, I have to apologise to him and everyone else later.”

“I don’t sleep well when we fight,” Hyungwon admits and Kihyun hugs him tighter. “And yeah, I feel bad for our housemates. Hoseok worries about us a lot, you know? I think he’s scared that everyone would eventually break apart. But that’s not the case, right? We just have to communicate better.”

“Everything will be fine,” Kihyun says, his voice steady this time. He rubs soothing circles on Hyungwon’s back. “We are okay now,” he repeats, resting his chin on Hyungwon’s shoulder, “and that’s all that matters.”

“I’m sorry for hitting your hip earlier,” Hyungwon blurts, his head still on Kihyun’s shoulder, clutching onto him like a giant koala.

“I’m sorry for flicking your forehead, I’ll cook shrimp for you as compensation.”

“What, are we friends now?”

“Yeah, friends.”

“Alright.”

“Okay.”

The door rattles with the sound of a lock turning, light floods their surroundings as the closet creaks open.

“Seven minutes are up,” Changkyun announces, standing in front of the closet with Jooheon. “You idiots better have sorted everything out—oh, you have.”

Kihyun lifts his head up, squinting his eyes at the sudden brightness just as Jooheon lets out a cry of relief. “My prayers have been answered!”

Hyungwon detaches himself from Kihyun and rubs his eyes. “Yeah, we’re good now,” he informs the five people peering into the closet. “All good, really.” He crawls out into the open and the cool air hits him mercifully. The boulder on his heart has disintegrated, leaving a sense of peace as Hyungwon looks back at Kihyun. The older guy’s cheeks are flushed and his hair is sticking out in all places, yet Hyungwon finds the sight adorable.

He really can’t recall what they were fighting about this morning. They probably need more than seven minutes to work everything out, but they’ll get there eventually.

“Why aren’t you getting out?” Minhyuk asks Kihyun, but he’s staring at his phone with an amused smile. Of course he would be filming this. But no one reaches out to stop Minhyuk. Hyunwoo is standing behind him, looking over his shoulder with a teddy bear grin.

Kihyun doesn’t seem to notice the camera rolling, since he’s looking at Hyungwon. “My legs fell asleep because Hyungwon sat on them for too long.” But he’s smiling when he stretches out his arms. “Help me up, you skinny giant.”

Hyungwon laughs and wraps an arm around Kihyun’s waist instead, his other arm goes under the smaller man’s knees as Hyungwon lifts him out of the closet bridal style.

Hyungwon has only taken two steps before his own knees buckle, sending himself and Kihyun tumbling to the ground. Hoseok and Jooheon immediately move to catch them but it’s too late. Kihyun groans as he lands on Hyungwon’s chest, the latter lays unmoving, having the wind knocked out of him. Changkyun is cackling and Minhyuk joins in as he inches his phone closer to the duo on the ground.

“Damn, I forgot you’re only a string bean and not a beanstalk that can bring Jack into the sky,” Kihyun grumbles but he’s sniggering as Hoseok and Jooheon pull him off Hyungwon’s miserable body.

“Minhyuk, put that phone away or I’ll sneak cucumber shreds into your sandwich,” Hyungwon warns, feeling his butt sting from the impact. He slowly sits up, Kihyun is still wobbling and waiting for oxygenated blood to return to his legs, so Hyungwon drags himself onto his feet using Hyunwoo instead, the sturdiest rock next to Hoseok.

“No you wouldn’t,” Minhyuk chirps but stops recording. He’s gotten all the clown footage he needed anyway. “So do you guys still feel like murdering each other?” He ignores the dirty look Jooheon shoots at him.

Hyungwon and Kihyun shares a glance. For the first time in ages, they’re not shooting daggers at each other. For the first time in forever, they’re looking at each other with kindness that extends to forgiveness.

“Not anymore,” they reply in unison.

Changkyun doesn’t have to know this, but deep down Kihyun is grateful they were thrown into the closet. He can’t imagine what kind of hell would’ve been unleashed if they weren’t.

**Author's Note:**

> im sorry for the mess, feel free to hunt me down on [ twitter ](https://twitter.com/mxmbexol) or [ curious cat ](https://curiouscat.me/secondthoughts) and maybe leave a comment below so i can know how chaotic this was ok bye


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